This time his targets are American unilateralism, obedient Japanese, and , as usual, his own pomposity (in this episode, he’s playing his Evil Pro-American Twin!)

If you’re like me, the first thing you’ll notice is how dumb and basic his sarcasm is . . .but I’m pretty sure it’s intentional! A little context will explain this (I hope): Even though the surface of the comic is about America, the sub-text is a much more interesting debate – about Japan! – and the role of public discourse and dissent in Japan.

Specifically, it has to do with the Japanese rule of "Don’t make a fuss in public, don’t raise your voice." This is a central theme to all of Kobayashi’s manga. He wants to raise his voice and have his free speech, but he’s tremendously self-conscious about violating the taboo. He – like all Japanese – is scared of standing out like a sore thumb, and scared of being the "loud asshole who fucks up the harmony" . So his solution is to deliberately overdo it, to jump head-first into a worst-case-scenario of "Loud Asshole" and see what happens from there.(Check out how all the bystanders are staring at him throughout the comic. He could of drawn them ignoring him or cheering him on, but he didn’t!)

The American version of this is, if you’re fat girl with an overbite, you put a bunch of piercings in your face and get a sideways haircut on Myspace and you’re like: "IT’S OK! IT’S OK! I’M TRYING TO BE UGLY!" Kobayashi is like, "IT’S OK! IT’S OK! I’M TRYING TO BE THE GUY WHO IS OBLIVIOUS TO SOCIAL HARMONY!" And I think his dull/repetitive sarcasm is part of that persona.

. . .

Or it could be that he’s just not funny.

P.S. Contrary to stereotype, Japanese people *DO* get subtle sarcasm – check out the "suprise attack" gag on page 15 for an example.

THOU SHALT BE PRO-AMERICA!

Starring The Author himself, as: CHONMAGE!

(chonmage (pronounced, “chon-MA-gay”) is the name of the peculiar half-shaved Samurai hairstyle, but it’s also a vulgar contraction of “CHOdai AGEru”; which is a really ignorant way of saying “Gimme dat!” . (Hope you like it when jokes are over-explained because this is just the beginning)) (also, the flag on his back reads BUSH 4 LYFE!)

PAGE 1

PANEL 1: (this is a parody of the famous Edo-period play 赤穂浪士 (‘akou roushi’) (in English, “The 47 Samurai”) with Chonmage in the role of Asano’s retainer, who tries to dissuade his master (Asano) from starting a suicidal battle with the wily Kira)

PANEL 3:Walking all bent-over like that, I cannot tell. . . is she a psycho girl??

PANEL 4: Psycho?? Psycho???!??

PANEL 5: Aah! (untranslatable pun based on the fact that “psycho” and “cellphone” sound similar).

PANEL 6: Aah! Thou art sending e-mail!

GIRL: WTF???

PANEL 7; If thou art sending emails on yon internet, America’s “Eschalon” computer system is watching you! Let’s show them a little something, shall we? Only for Honorable America! Let’s give them a little peek at you!

PAGE 8

PANEL 1:CHONMAGE: I dub thee. . . “Pro-Ameri-chick!”

PANEL 2:GIRL: kyaaaaaaaa!

CHONMAGE: Pro-Ameri-chick! Come back, Pro-Ameri-chick!

PANEL 3:GIRL#2: What’s up with him?

GIRL: He’s hentai!!

CHONMAGE: Hey! That’s . . . .

PANEL 4:CHONMAGE: Macdonald’s!!!!You can find one anywhere in the world. . . It be-eth the God of Globalization!

PANEL 5:(prays)

PANEL 6:The kids of Japan will be able to get morbidly obese, just like Honorable Americans!

PAGE 9

PANEL 1:CHONMAGE: Huh????

PANEL 2:CHONMAGE: Thou! Thou! Yon maiden hence!

Is that black man an American or an African, I prithee?

LADY: Naturally, I’ll only hang on the arm of an American, ya dummy

PANEL 3:CHONMAGE: Such a pro-American!Even if he was the same guy, if he’s African, no way!But if he’s American, OK!

The truth is, Japanese girls are very conservative, pro-Americans, yea verily!

PANEL 4:CHONMAGE: (chasing them as they enter a hotel) Conduct thy diplomatic relations to thy heart’s content! Heal the rift in the Alliance! Support the Alliance! And don’t just support it from the rear ? support it from the front entrance as well!

AMERICAN: KUREIZII! FA-KYOO!

PANEL 5:I’m happy to see it with mine own eyes. Throughout the world, anti-American complaints are circulating, but Japan is pro-America from the old men to the youths!